Staggering 308 tonnes of marijuana seized in December

The Namibian Police have reported a staggering 308 tonnes of marijuana seized in December, a figure Deputy Commissioner Kauna Shikwambi referred to as “nothing new.” This seizure averages nearly 10 tonnes per day, raising concerns about the country’s persistent drug trade.In December, the police seized 308,004.7 kilograms of marijuana with a street value of N$3,080,047, calculated at N$10 per gram. With 126 suspects arrested, each would have possessed an average of 2,444 kilograms of marijuana. The police also confiscated 10,031 tablets of mandrax, translating to a daily average of 323 tablets. If distributed among the arrested suspects, each would have been found with nearly 80 tablets. Additionally, the authorities reported seizing 8,859 grams of cocaine powder, averaging 285 grams daily, and each suspect would have been in possession of approximately 70 grams. The month also saw the seizure of 307 units of crack cocaine, with an average of just under 10 units recovered daily.Among the 126 individuals arrested for drug-related offenses, the majority were Namibians, numbering 118. The rest comprised four Angolans, one South African, two Zambians, and one Tanzanian.The police highlighted their method of calculating the marijuana seizures, which involved summing up the grams recovered across all regions to arrive at the total. According to the 1971 Abuse of Dependence-Producing Substances and Rehabilitation Centers Act, possession of more than 115 grams of marijuana is considered indicative of ‘dealing’ in drugs, as opposed to simply being a user.Deputy Commissioner Shikwambi, the national police spokesperson, expressed continued concern over the scale of drug-related crimes in Namibia, emphasising the need for stronger law enforcement and greater community awareness. December’s drug busts underscore the scale of the narcotics problem and point to an entrenched issue requiring sustained efforts to combat. - irene-mari@nmh-hub.com.na

Staggering 308 tonnes of marijuana seized in December

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Namibian Sun 2025-03-14

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Staggering 308 tonnes of marijuana seized in December

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Namibian Sun 2025-03-14

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